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Wholesome One-Bowl Banana Bread with Brown Butter

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This tender, nutty banana bread uses brown butter for a caramel warmth that makes it feel like a hug. Made with whole wheat pastry flour and coconut sugar, it’s a wholesome treat that comes together in one bowl.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 ½ cups / 360 ml)
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup (150 g) coconut sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups (180 g) whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup (60 g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the long sides.
  2. Brown the butter: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the ½ cup butter. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. It will foam, then bubble, then start to turn golden. Watch closely—once you see brown specks forming at the bottom and smell a nutty aroma, remove it from the heat immediately. This takes about 5-7 minutes. Pour it into a heat-safe bowl to stop the cooking. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
  3. Mash the bananas: In your large mixing bowl, mash the 3 ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth, with a few small lumps for texture. You should have about 1 ½ cups.
  4. Add the wet ingredients: Pour the cooled brown butter into the bowl with the bananas. Add the ¾ cup coconut sugar, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything is well combined.
  5. Add the dry ingredients: Sprinkle the 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg over the wet mixture. Fold gently with your spatula until just combined. Do not overmix—a few streaks of flour are fine. If you’re using nuts, fold them in now.
  6. Pour into the pan: Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly. Tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to release any air bubbles.
  7. Bake: Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden brown and cracked. If the top is browning too quickly after 40 minutes, tent loosely with foil.
  8. Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then use the parchment paper to lift it out and transfer it to the rack to cool completely.

Notes

Don’t skip the brown butter—it’s the key to the flavor. Use spotty bananas for best sweetness. Measure flour correctly by spooning and leveling. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to avoid a gummy texture. For muffins, bake 18-22 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: banana bread, brown butter, whole wheat, one bowl, easy, healthy, breakfast, snack

Find it online: https://bitesienna.com/wholesome-one-bowl-banana-bread-with-brown-butter/